The brutal incident at Sathankulam is not a matter of just enquiry, filing FIRs, transfer and suspension of the involved policemen. It is also not a matter of merely announcing compensation for the grieving families of victims. It is a matter of putting a full-stop to a systemic degeneration and ensuring that we do not have another Jayaraj or Fenix in our society ever again.

Makkal Needhi Maiam has pledged to fight this battle for the people of Thamizh Nadu till there is complete justice. Towards this, Makkal Needhi Maiam calls for true, systemic reforms which successive state Governments in Thamizh Nadu have repeatedly been shying away from implementing. The Supreme Court has given specific directions to the central and state governments to carry out structural changes in the police with a view to insulating it from extraneous pressures and making it accountable to the people. It had directed states to set up Police Complaints Authorities (PCAs) at the state level and district level, headed by independent retired judges selected from a panel of judges provided by the Chief Justice of the

High Court. These PCAs were to function with truly independent members, chosen from retired civil servants, retired police officers or from civil society, and they were to function full-time for these PCAs.